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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26001022">Serious</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1'>ttfan111robstar1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Ludwig [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hetalia: Axis Powers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression/De-Aging, Awesome Prussia (Hetalia), Brothers Germany &amp; Prussia (Hetalia), Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Gen, Germany is Ludwig Beilschmidt, Germany is adorable, Gilbert is serious, Little!Germany, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Parental Instinct, Prussia gives good comfort and advice, Prussia is a good big brother, Russia is a dick, Russia is insensitive, Snuggling, Thumb-sucking, baby germany, big brother Prussia, bottle feeding, fluffy feels, holocaust is indirectly referenced, implied PTSD, mostly fluffy though, trigger warning</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:34:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26001022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gilbert Bielschmidt isn't normally taken as serious. But when he finds out a secret about his little brother, he gets serious about taking care of him and keeping him safe.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Germany &amp; Prussia (Hetalia)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Ludwig [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Serious</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Sophie, for introducing me to the fandom<br/>For Sam, for all your help crafting this story.<br/>Most of all, for Raevyn. Happy gotcha day, Princess!</p><p>The songs in this work are mine and may only be used with my express written consent. </p><p>If my translations are incorrect, please let me know. I tried to get it as accurate as possible but we all make mistakes.</p><p>This is my first Hetalia fic so sorry if it's a little OOC, but I hope you all enjoy it anyways!</p><p>Translations:<br/>“Ja, ich bin hier”= Yes, I’m here.<br/>“Bruder”= Brother<br/>“Nein”= No<br/>“Danke”= Thank You<br/>“Brüderchen”= Little brother<br/>"Gute Nacht”= Good night<br/>“Stronzos”= Assholes<br/>“Kleiner”= Little one<br/>“Guten Tag”= Hello/How are you<br/>“Ciao” = Hello<br/>“Bambino”= Baby<br/>“Ja”= Yes<br/>“Dolce bambino angelo”= sweet baby angel<br/>“quanto prezioso”= How precious<br/>“Magnifico”= Magnificent<br/>“Piccolo Bambino”= Little baby boy<br/>“Mein”= My</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Serious.</p><p>It was a word that was rarely applied to Gilbert without a joking context behind it. Questions of “Seriously?” And “Are you serious?” Often followed wherever he went. Being a jokester in personality meant that he was rarely perceived as being so. In fact, the word was applied far more often to his younger brother in its usual context.</p><p>But now, as he looked at his younger brother, he was studying him with an expression that could only be termed as a serious one.</p><p>He’d gone into Ludwig’s office to ask if he wanted to order dinner, only to find him asleep at his desk. The sight wasn’t entirely uncommon. When Ludwig had been a teenager, he’d often foregone a typical sleep schedule in order to get everything done. He’d broken the habit in later years, but on occasion, when paperwork piled up and life seemed to get a bit more hectic than usual, he could occasionally be found asleep at his desk, his body forcing him to rest after too many long nights. Gilbert had snuck his way over to his little brother, with the intent of scaring him for a bit of fun, when he saw that Ludwig had his thumb in his mouth, and was gently sucking on it in tune to whatever dream he was having.</p><p>Usually, such a sight might have made Gilbert laugh. He almost had, in fact. But something had stopped him. He’d looked at West, a serious expression on his face, as a memory had begun playing itself without permission behind his eyelids.</p><p>Ludwig had done that when he was nine. But it was as rare as a blue moon. In fact, he could recall every time Ludwig had done it, and the last time had come back in a vivid memory. He’d explained to Ludwig that he’d had to go to war, and although he had understood the importance of it, Gilbert had been able to tell that his little brother had been sad to see him go. They’d shared a small hug, and when Gilbert had turned back to look at his brother one last time, he’d seen Ludwig with his thumb in his mouth, eyes shining solemnly as he waved goodbye with his free hand.</p><p>The sight was so vivid in memory that it had made Gilbert’s chest clinch in a horrible and unexpected bout of guilt, and he’d quickly scrambled silently from the room, feeling like he couldn’t catch his breath. It took a moment, maybe two, for the wretched feeling to release him, allowing him to breathe again. With that conquered, he was able to think a bit more clearly.</p><p>Facts quickly clicked themselves into place in his mind. He knew Ludwig hadn’t sucked his thumb in well over a century. He’d walked in on him asleep before and not once had he seen that happening. But recent times had also made things hard on Ludwig. World War Two had had a severe impact on every nation, but especially his brother, who had been horrified to learn what had been going on in his country as much as any of them. Was it something to do with that then? Maybe.</p><p>Steadying himself, Gilbert crept back into the room, just to be certain he really had seen what he’d thought he had.</p><p>Yep. Ludwig still had his thumb in his mouth, and was still nursing it gently. There was a bit of nostalgia in the sight now, and the corners of his mouth tipped upward into a nearly invisible smile.</p><p>Quietly backing out of the office, he decided not to say anything about it for now. At least, not until he understood why it was happening in the first place. He might have been a natural-born jokester, but on occasion, he did know when to hold his tongue if it suited him.</p><p>Weeks had gone by after that, and Ludwig hadn’t fallen asleep at his desk again. Gilbert had even gone in to check on west a few times when he’d woken during the night, perhaps in hopes of catching him at it to find a vital clue as to why this was happening, but it hadn’t occurred.</p><p>Gilbert had spent that time questioning himself as to why it was suddenly so important to make sure his brother was okay, and also beginning to wonder if he’d really seen what he thought he had. The whole incident was beginning to feel like some kind of fever dream. But if that was so, why did he continue to check in on his brother?</p><p>It wasn’t until one evening, after Feliciano had been by, telling a story about his brother Romano that he realized what he’d been feeling might have been some buried fraternal instinct.</p><p>That evening, while the rest of the world had been asleep, Gilbert had lie awake, deep in thought. He thought about the kind of brother he’d been to Ludwig over the years. Did they annoy each other? Absolutely. Did they piss each other off? Quite a bit. But at the end of the day, they <em>were </em>family. Not necessarily conventional, but then again, was there really such a thing? He didn’t know. He could recall having to leave for war when Ludwig had been a little scrap of a boy and feeling pinches of guilt every time. Despite them being polar opposites personality wise, he really had loved the kid, and it <em>had </em>been hard to leave him. He knew he’d done the right thing in going, as it had given Ludwig a good example of putting duty first (and was perhaps the only good example he’d set, in all honesty), but that had always been somewhat tainted with his own guilt for having to leave Ludwig without him. It wasn’t something he’d ever admitted to, let alone talked about, but it was there. Coloring every memory of going off to war with a slight tinge of blue for having to leave his little brother.<br/>
<br/>
So not awesome.</p><p>It wasn’t something he could just apologize for now, either. Ludwig would have asked why he mentioned it, and he couldn’t tell him what he saw. Somehow, in some inarticulate way, what he’d seen had felt like a gift. A small piece of knowledge about his brother that only he knew. And there was cashmere comfort in that. The idea of being the one person that knew things about his brother that no one else did made him feel oddly important. More... fraternal.</p><p>Sighing, and giving up on the idea of sleep, he decided to see if there was beer in the fridge. Maybe that would put him to sleep.</p><p>He’d mastered the art of getting up silently in the middle of the night by that point. Though he was hardly ever silent during the daytime, going in to check on his brother in the evenings had required mastery in the art of silence. There had been a few close calls in the beginning, but now it felt like old hat. And though he was certain he would never be able to pull off such a feat during the day, he was actually somewhat enjoying the ability at night. It made him feel like he could get away with anything.<br/>
<br/>
He’d made it halfway to the kitchen when his senses- sharpened from years of war and even more honed in the night- picked up a noise.Had he been in his room, he most certainly wouldn’t have heard it. But now, in the dark of the night, with silence prevailing over the house, he could hear. The sound was one he’d heard very rarely in his life. The sound of a whimpering child. Ludwig had been very closed off from his emotions from the very beginning of their relationship. It took a lot, even as a child to bring him to tears. But the sounds of <em>how </em>Ludwig cried were forever lodged in his memory, like a dark shadow that refused to vanish, no matter how sunny it was in his mind.</p><p>Carefully, cautiously, he’d crept through the house, and had gotten to Ludwig’s door unscathed. It was still shut, but he knew that if there was ever a time to risk opening it, this would be it. He had never been so thankful that his brother was so fanatical about keeping the hinges on the door so well oiled that they never squeaked as he was in that moment.<br/>
<br/>
With great care, he opened the door.<br/>
<br/>
It was far easier to see in the dark now that his own eyes were well adjusted to it. The barest light of street lamps came in through Ludwig’s window, but it was enough to allow Gilbert to see his face.<br/>
<br/>
His little brother was clearly in the throes of a nightmare. He was trembling so much the bed seemed to quake with him. His face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and, perhaps most notably, he was whimpering around the thumb in his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert didn’t even have enough time to enjoy being right about what he saw as he rushed to his little brother, gently shaking his shoulder and calmly saying, “Luddie. Luddie, wake up.”<br/>
<br/>
A choked noise that Gilbert might have considered a scream worked it’s way from Ludwig’s throat as Gilbert hurried to calm him down.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, Luddie, it’s alright. It’s okay. It was just a dream.” He said as soothingly as he could manage.</p><p>It seemed to take Ludwig a moment to process the fact that Gilbert was there. Then: “Bruder?”<br/>
<br/>
“Ja, ich bin hier.” Gilbert replied, surprising himself with how gentle he was being.<br/>
<br/>
It was at that point that Ludwig seemed to realize he had his thumb in his mouth, and took it out, blushing.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m sorry I woke you.”<br/>
<br/>
“You didn’t. I haven’t gone to sleep yet. And you shouldn’t be sorry, even if you had. I’d rather you come tell me when you’re dealing with crap like this than always thinking you have to do it alone.” Gilbert said, sitting beside him. “You okay?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig didn’t say anything, but that was enough to tell Gilbert all he needed to know.<br/>
<br/>
“Come here.” He said, and gave him a hug.<br/>
<br/>
Even though Ludwig was surprised by the affection, he didn’t push his brother away either. Instead, he found himself melting into his elder brother’s hold. It was rare that Gilbert offered such affection, rarer still that he allowed himself to be comforted this way, and yet, he couldn’t stop himself from accepting it.<br/>
<br/>
Then, surprising him further, he listened as Gilbert began to sing a song he hadn’t heard in years.<br/>
<br/>
“Slow down you crazy child<br/>
I can’t remember when I last saw you smile<br/>
I know that you’re serious but it’s not worth the price that you pay, hey<br/>
I know that if you had your way<br/>
You’d still be working hard until the end of the day<br/>
But sometimes you need to take a second and listen to the music play, play<br/>
And you know that when the day is done<br/>
The work will still be there for you and everyone<br/>
So come on, and just let your smile shine through<br/>
When will you realize, there’s more out there for you?<br/>
<br/>
Slow down and let yourself walkout<br/>
I think you need take a break before you burn yourself out<br/>
It’s okay to take a day away every once in a while, a while<br/>
I know you’re stressed and have things to do<br/>
But every now and then you have to know you won’t get through<br/>
The things you want to do and quit trying to go the extra mile, mile<br/>
You work so hard and I know it’s a matter of pride<br/>
But don’t you know that you’ll never be completely satisfied?<br/>
It’s alright to let it all go for a day or two<br/>
And when you come back, the work will still be there for you.<br/>
<br/>
Slow down and take a breath<br/>
It’s okay to let your walls come down and be upset<br/>
You know we all have struggles and it’s okay to let it out tonight, tonight<br/>
I know you don’t want others to see you bleed<br/>
But you’re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need<br/>
I know you’ll never admit it but deep down you know I’m right, I’m right<br/>
So take a moment to just calm down,<br/>
And know you’re not alone because I’m here with you now<br/>
You can cry because it’s something that we all do<br/>
And when you sleep tonight, I’ll still be there for you.”</p><p>It was to Ludwig’s surprise- but not Gilbert’s- that he found himself crying into the shoulder of his elder brother. Though Gilbert didn’t count himself as an observant person in general, he could tell when his little brother had been pushing himself too hard lately. Sooner or later, a caving in from the pressure he put on himself was bound to come. This was simply the straw that had broken the camel’s back. Ludwig’s emotional dam had been broken, but Gilbert could no longer say that he was afraid of the incoming flood of tears. Though he may have been at one time, because he might not have known how to handle them, things were different now. <em>He </em>was different now.<br/>
<br/>
After a while, Ludwig’s tears dammed, and he tried to compose himself.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m sorry that I-“<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert lightly smacked his arm to cut him off. “You are so dense sometimes. You really have to stop apologizing for having feelings. I know you like to solve problems yourself, but you really have to learn when to let other people help you, West. Seriously. We all have feelings. You shouldn’t apologize for yours.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, settling for a nod.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert looked pleased. “Now, do you want to tell your awesome Bruder about what happened in your dream, or do you just want to sit here for a while?”<br/>
<br/>
“You don’t have to-“<br/>
<br/>
“<em>Nein! </em>I <em>want </em>to.” Gilbert said. “And if you think you’re going to stop me from doing what I want, you’re forgetting who you’re talking to.”<br/>
<br/>
When Ludwig rolled his eyes at him, Gilbert felt a small smile hinting at his face. That was more like it.<br/>
<br/>
“How did you figure out I was having a nightmare?” Ludwig asked him.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert looked at him. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was going to get a beer from the kitchen when I heard you from the hall.” He said. “You weren’t screaming, but it sounded like you were crying. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig didn’t quite know what to say to that, but muttered a “Danke” anyways.</p><p>Silence for a moment. Then: “How long has this been going on?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig looked at him. “What?"<br/>
<br/>
“The thumb sucking. You fell asleep once at your desk and were doing it when I came to get you for dinner. I didn’t say anything because I knew you wouldn’t want to talk about it. But… Maybe we should. Something’s bugging you, West. I can tell.”<br/>
<br/>
He almost replied “It’s nothing.” Out of instinct. But he knew Gilbert wouldn’t let this go without a fight. He went quiet for a while, wrestling with himself on what to say. If there was anybody he should be able to talk about this to, it was his brother, who had helped raise him. But there was always a concerned voice in the back of his head that wondered if Gilbert would take his feelings seriously. But one look into his brother’s face, and Ludwig knew he was serious about this.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ve… Been feeling guilty.” He said, slowly.<br/>
<br/>
“About?” Gilbert prompted.<br/>
<br/>
“What happened during the war.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert’s face grew more serious. “Okay.”<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t want it always hanging over me. Sometimes I just want to escape it.” He said slowly. “I had a nightmare one evening, and to stop myself from screaming I did that and it’s… become a comfort. Sometimes I just want to pretend to be a child again so that it doesn’t feel like the world is on my shoulders. So I can not feel guilty for a while.”<br/>
<br/>
As soon as the words left his mouth, there was an overwhelming sense of relief that came with losing them. He hadn’t realized how much this small desire had been weighing on him until then. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t so small, if the relief was so large. Then, he looked to Gilbert.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert seemed to be studying him, looking at him in a sort of way that was familiar but he couldn’t quite recognize. Then, wordlessly, his brother pulled him into a fierce hug. Ludwig felt himself stiffen for a minute, but then hugged him back.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m sorry you’ve been thinking you have to go through this alone. But not anymore. You’re my brother, West. I don’t care if you want to act like a kid again. I’ll still think the sun shines out of your ass no matter what you do. Besides, you’ll always be my little brother no matter how old you get. And hey, if you ever need somebody to look after you, I didn’t do half bad the first time.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig felt his stomach flip at that. “You… Really don’t care?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert snorted. “Kesesese. You act like I haven’t lived my entire life without caring.”<br/>
<br/>
For the first time in over a century, Gilbert felt Ludwig’s shoulder’s slump from their usual upright position, and felt him lean into him for support.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s okay, Luddie. I’m here.” He said.<br/>
<br/>
Perhaps he should have rephrased what he said to his brother. He hadn’t lived his <em>entire </em>life without caring. Not since a certain little nation came under his care and grew up to be a world power. There was no way he could not care about him.</p><p>After a moment, Gilbert let go of him. “Come on, Brüderchen, you can sleep in my room tonight.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig likely didn’t realize his body had perked up at the mention, but Gilbert certainly did.<br/>
<br/>
“Are you sure?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert rolled his eyes dramatically. “Does this look like the face of a nation that isn’t sure?” He said, putting on his best “Are-you-kidding-me?” Expression.<br/>
<br/>
For a second- just that- a faint smile graced his little brother’s face. Gilbert felt like the king of the world seeing that smile. It was so rare, and knowing that he caused it just made it all the sweeter. Although, he thought, slinging an arm around his little brother, Luddie might be smiling a lot more soon. Wouldn’t that be nice?<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert helped Ludwig amble along to his bedroom, and found that he suddenly felt exhausted. Ludwig slunk into his bed, and Gilbert covered him with a blanket before getting in on his side and tucking himself in. A nanosecond later, he felt warmth pressed against his side, and smiled. Ludwig had always held to him this way after a nightmare when he was little. So, he did what was expected, and pulled his little brother closer to him into a cuddle.<br/>
<br/>
“Gute Nacht, Brüderchen.” Gilbert whispered softly.<br/>
<br/>
“Gute Nacht, Bruder.” Ludwig sighed. Gilbert kept one eye open just to make sure his little brother was going to sleep, and was able to see Ludwig’s thumb sneak into his mouth. The sight brought a warm and true smile to his lips.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Mission Accomplished.</em></p><p>Then, at last, Gilbert allowed himself to be taken in sleep’s sweet embrace.<br/>
<br/>
When Gilbert awoke the next morning, Ludwig wasn’t there. It shouldn’t have surprised him, considering his brother was always getting up early and staying up late to finish paperwork or go over meeting notes, or something boring. And yet, for some reason, it stung a little that his brother had left so early.<br/>
<br/>
<em>Fucking fraternal instincts… </em>Gilbert thought to himself, sitting up. <em>Screwing with my emotions.<br/>
<br/>
</em>As Gilbert dragged himself out of bed, the thought occurred to him that things would be different now. Ludwig spilling a secret of that magnitude pretty much constituted change. But, Gilbert reasoned with himself, they likely wouldn’t be too big at once. Perhaps that was why Ludwig had gotten up early. He’d needed time to process the changes too.<br/>
<br/>
When Gilbert went to the kitchen, he didn’t find his brother there, nor did he find breakfast prepared. He then made the deduction that Ludwig must have been outside with the dogs. No matter, then. He’d make breakfast himself.<br/>
<br/>
Bread, marmalade, and bauernfrühstück with bacon, eggs, and potatoes were all waiting when Ludwig reentered the house.<br/>
<br/>
“Look who made it in time for breakfast.” Gilbert smiled.<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig rolled his eyes. “I am always punctual, Gilbert. You know that."<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert smiled. “I know. You’re forgetting that your big brother knows <em>everything</em>.” He said, putting two plates at the table.<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig nearly retorted that, but considering his brother had made breakfast, decided to hold his tongue for the moment.<br/>
<br/>
The two of them tucked into their breakfasts, making idle conversation about neutral topics. Arthur’s latest cooking disaster, the next meeting of the world powers, Feliciano and Romano’s latest pasta recipes. For a moment, it felt as though nothing was different between them.<br/>
<br/>
Despite that, the elephant in the room still lingered. Gilbert decided it would be best to address it.<br/>
<br/>
“So, how do you want to do this?” He asked as casually as he could manage when the conversation had reached a stall.<br/>
<br/>
The din of silverware clanging onto Ludwig’s plate was loud enough to startle him. Ludwig looked at him, surprised and blushing at the same time.<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t know yet. I hadn’t really given it much thought.”<br/>
<br/>
“Well that’s a first for you.” Gilbert said, hoping to jostle his brother out of his embarrassed state. When it didn’t work, he continued on. “Well, you’re the one who always seems hellbent on having a plan for everything. So let’s make a plan for this.”<br/>
<br/>
The mere mention of that seemed to calm Ludwig down. “Alright.”<br/>
<br/>
“How often do you want to do this? When you get too stressed, or whenever you can, on weekends, what?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig paused at the question and seemed to mull it over. “Weekends would be good. Maybe when I get too stressed over something too.”<br/>
<br/>
“Alright.” Gilbert nodded. “How old do you want to be treated as?”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m not sure.” Ludwig said, thoughtfully. “Very young, I suppose.”<br/>
<br/>
“So, like a toddler?”<br/>
<br/>
Blushing, he nodded.<br/>
<br/>
“Alright. I can do that.” Gilbert nodded. “Is there anything you want especially for this time? Like a toy or a blanket or something?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig looked up at him and smiled a bit shyly. “I have a wooden horse in a box in the attic. I’d like to see that again.”<br/>
<br/>
“Then that’s what we’ll do. You let your big brother handle the rest.” Gilbert nodded, collecting both of the empty plates to wash in the sink.<br/>
<br/>
“Gilbert…”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert turned back, and looked to his brother, and knew exactly what he was trying to say.<br/>
<br/>
“I know. I love you too, kid.”<br/>
<br/>
That morning was a Monday, so Gilbert had ample time to prepare for the weekend ahead. For God knew what reason, he felt absolutely <em>giddy </em>about what was to come the next weekend. While Ludwig spent the week doing paperwork, organizing meetings, and being his usual anal-retentive neat-freak self, Gilbert was busy getting everything ready for the weekend ahead of them. He’d dug out boxes of Ludwig’s old toys from the attic for him, including the wooden horse he’d loved as a child, as well as looked at books about what toddlers were like, and even made a few shopping trips. When he had everything ready, he’d grinned like a madman.<br/>
<br/>
His triumph would be glorious.</p><p>When Friday rolled around, and all the day’s paperwork had been done after the latest meeting, Ludwig had been grateful to go home. He sighed upon entering the door, looking forward to a weekend away from all of this. Once his shoes were off, he’d been planning to go and read for a little while before he was greeted with the national whirlwind that was his big brother. All at once, Gilbert swept him into a hug, and Ludwig was confused by the sudden affection.<br/>
<br/>
“Gilbert?”<br/>
<br/>
“Hey West! Are you ready for the most awesome big bruder little bruder weekend ever?” Gilbert grinned.<br/>
<br/>
So <em>that </em>explained the hug. “I am. I just thought we were doing that on Saturday and Sunday?”<br/>
<br/>
“Haven’t you heard of Friday meaning the weekend is here?” Gilbert said.<br/>
<br/>
“I haven’t, considering there’s still work to be done on Friday.”<br/>
<br/>
“But not <em>this </em>Friday!” Gilbert said, clearly pleased with himself. “I made sure that you had no work to bring home this week. I took meeting notes, and I did some of your paperwork <em>in triplicate </em>so that way you couldn’t have an excuse.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig looked at him dumbfounded. “Really?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert shrugged. “When I want something, I figure out the best way to make it happen. And since you would have <em>never </em>totally relaxed without your precious paperwork done, I saved you the trouble. And <em>yes</em>, it’s all filled out correctly, and filed in your drawer for your inspection at a later date.”<br/>
<br/>
“How did you manage that?”<br/>
<br/>
“I did a lot of it while you were asleep.”</p><p>Ludwig blinked. “Alright…”<br/>
<br/>
“So, are you ready to get going?”<br/>
<br/>
“I <em>was </em>thinking of reading this evening…” Ludwig said, looking down at his shoes.<br/>
<br/>
“But?” Gilbert prompted.<br/>
<br/>
“I suppose we can begin early.”<br/>
<br/>
The smile on Gilbert’s face could have lit up the entire world. “Come on then, kiddo. I’ve got some surprises for you.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert took his hand and led him to his bedroom, and the act alone made him feel so very small. Gilbert hadn’t led him by the hand since he really was a boy.<br/>
<br/>
When they arrived in Ludwig’s bedroom, he was surprised at what awaited him. A white shirt and shorts that he’d worn as a young boy were lain out neatly on the bed, sized to fit his body now, along with something in a pile next to it. Going over to it, curious as to what it was, he touched it. It was possibly the softest thing he’d ever felt in his life.<br/>
<br/>
“What is it?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig hadn’t realized he’d asked the question aloud until Gilbert answered.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s a blanket for you.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig looked to his elder brother, who was leaning against the doorframe.<br/>
<br/>
“I did some reading. Most three year olds have something that’s theirs as a comfort item. So I figured that could be yours. It wouldn’t give anything away if you had it with you, and it would be a piece of me that you’d always have in case there’s ever a time I can’t be there.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig felt his throat close up. It was such a small thing, but it meant so much to him. Gilbert went over to him, sensing the impending tears and gave him a hug. After a moment, he patted his brother on the back. “Go and get dressed, there’s more surprises to come.”<br/>
<br/>
Now getting a bit excited himself, he went into the bathroom to try the clothes on. Surprisingly, they fit quite well, and when he looked at himself in the mirror, he was stunned. He’d felt small on the inside before, but the outside never seemed to match. Now, however, it did. Slowly, his mirror image copying him, he slid his thumb into his mouth and began to gently nurse on the digit. It was the final touch that made all of his adulthood worries slip away into oblivion. Almost as if he were in a trance, he wandered out of the bathroom.</p><p>When Gilbert caught sight of his little brother, he had to do a double take to be sure it was him. Because he had never, <em>ever </em>seen his uptight, anal-retentive, never take a day off work in his life brother look <em>so relaxed.</em></p><p>It was clear to Gilbert now that this was <em>definitely </em>something Ludwig had wanted and needed for a long time if he was able to slip into that role so easily. And he was going to make sure his baby brother got whatever he needed.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, Luddie!” Gilbert said, watching as his little brother turned to face him and ran to him. Almost on instinct, he picked his brother up and settled him on his hip. “You like your new clothes?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig nodded to him. “‘nacks, bu’der?” He asked around his thumb.<br/>
<br/>
“Sure, we can have snacks. What do you want, kiddo?”<br/>
<br/>
“P’et’zl?”<br/>
<br/>
“Alright. Two awesome soft pretzels on the way! You wanna help me make ‘em, or do you want to play instead?”<br/>
<br/>
“I he’p!”<br/>
<br/>
“Alright! These pretzels are going to be doubly awesome with your help!”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig gave him a smile behind his thumb (damn, Gilbert was KILLING IT today in that area!) as Gilbert carried him to the kitchen.<br/>
<br/>
Making pretzels turned out to be a good activity for the two of them. Ludwig was interested and patient, quiet much of the time (though that might have had to do with the thumb that seemed to have permanently lodged into his mouth) but it was also somewhat high energy. They kneaded and rolled out the dough together, and Gilbert laughed (as did Ludwig) when Ludwig put a bit of flour on his nose with a boop. He had Ludwig help shape the pretzels (after getting his thumb from his mouth and cleaning it), and though he was meticulous as ever, he seemed to take it as a bit of an art project, giggling at all the funny shapes it took to make pretzels. Gilbert, for his part, preheated the oven, worked on getting the water and baking soda boiling on the stovetop range. Before he handled dropping the pretzels into the water for twenty seconds before getting them onto a baking sheet, and popping them in the oven. Ludwig had obeyed him and not gotten near the oven, which he had rewarded with a hug, and a thank you, before he helped his little brother wash his hands so they could play together as the pretzels baked.<br/>
<br/>
He’d gotten some paper and paints on one of his shopping trips, and had wanted to see what his brother might make with it. Having seen a bit of an interest in art in regard to the pretzels, he thought it would be a good time to break it out so they could paint together. The wide eyed look of wonder and excitement on Luddie’s face seeing those coming toward him would forever be burned into Gilbert’s mind as one of his favorite memories of that day. Together, the two of them lay on the living room floor, each painting something. For his part, Gilbert drew a picture of a dog, figuring his little brother might like it. And when Luddie turned around to show him what he’d painted, he’d secretly thought his heart might burst into pieces.<br/>
<br/>
Depicted in the painting was Himself looking down with a smile at a much smaller Ludwig, and Ludwig smiling back at him. It was so simple, and yet so touching.<br/>
<br/>
Wordlessly, he’d pulled his brother in for a hug, before giving him the picture he’d painted in return. Luddie had hugged him right back, and it had made him wonder if this was how it was supposed to be between brothers all the time. Not nitpicking at each other or being annoyed by them, but simply enjoying their company. He’d have to store that away for later.<br/>
<br/>
When the pretzels were done, Gilbert pulled them from the oven before letting them cool, and made a quick dipping sauce. When that was done, he sauntered over to his little brother.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, Luddie. Snack time.”<br/>
<br/>
“Not now.” Ludwig said, carefully painting a green bush.<br/>
<br/>
“Yes, now. The pretzels and cheese will get cold if we don’t eat them right away.” He explained as patiently as he could manage, but he felt his usual nerves beginning to get worked up.</p><p>“Bu’ ‘m no’d done!” Ludwig pouted at him.<br/>
<br/>
“I know, but you can finish after you eat something, kiddo. I don’t want you to get hungry. And after we eat, I’ll paint some more with you. Okay?”<br/>
<br/>
“Mmmmm… ‘Kay, Bruder. Up?” He asked, reaching toward him.<br/>
<br/>
“Sure, kid.” Gilbert smiled, picking him up and carrying him to the table to eat, and was surprised when instead of sitting in his usual spot, his brother climbed into his lap to eat instead.</p><p>After eating the most awesome soft pretzels of all time and cleaning up, Gilbert made good on his promise and painted with Ludwig for the next hour. When that was done, Gilbert set about making dinner while Ludwig had some play time with some of the toys he’d found in the attic until it was ready. After a dinner of bratwurst, potato pancakes, and speckbohnen (Luddie had fussed and moaned about the horribly “icky green beans” until Gilbert had promised him a slice of Black Forest Cake), and Ludwig having his cake, it was “calm time”. Or at least that’s what Gilbert called it.<br/>
<br/>
He helped Luddie do his bedtime routine as much as he could. Ludwig let him wash his hair for him, and after he was out of the bathtub and dressed, he allowed Gilbert to help him brush his teeth. Then, Gilbert had settled him down on his lap and read him the story of Max and Moritz (A Story Of Seven Boyish Pranks), as Luddie had cuddled up to him on his lap. He probably should have felt silly, considering his little brother was practically a mountain compared to him, but somehow, looking into his innocent face, it didn’t seem to matter. And when Luddie had fallen asleep in his lap, all wrapped up in his new blanket, Gilbert had never found himself so grateful to have taken his little brother under his wing.<br/>
<br/>
He’d tucked his little brother under the blankets, and in a surprising move, found himself giving him a kiss goodnight. Then, with the day’s work done and his baby brother sleeping soundly, Gilbert finally allowed himself to indulge in a nice, refreshing glass of beer as a reward for a job well done.<br/>
<br/>
The two days that followed were some of the most precious in their memories. Ludwig was so open with his brother about his feelings, and it had occurred to Gilbert on more than one occasion that perhaps this was the emotional outlet his brother had needed from the beginning. And the fact that Ludwig had consistently looked to him for direction the entire weekend was enough to fuel his ego for years to come. In all the hustle and bustle of their daily lives, it was easy to forget that as old as they both were, Gilbert was still someone that Ludwig looked up to.<br/>
<br/>
The simple, little moments of connection between them helped to re-solidify their bond. And by the time Monday rolled around, they were both mourning the fact that the weekend was over. But reassured that the next weekend still remained, they soldiered on. The benefits of the weekend were noticeable even to the other nations, though they didn’t know the cause of it. Germany’s usual efficiency seemed to double, and he seemed to be able to solve problems more easily among them.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert too seemed to benefit from the weekend. He found himself to be more observant than before, especially concerning Ludwig. Most notably, he noticed that on occasion, when Ludwig was frustrated, his thumb would twitch. It was a little thing- so small nobody would notice it if they weren’t looking, but Gilbert caught onto it quickly. He made note of that, but was happy to say he was already prepared for what he thought was happening.<br/>
<br/>
When Ludwig came home that day, Gilbert greeted him at the door by popping a pacifier into his mouth. Though his brother looked angry at the sudden surprise, the suckling happened only a mere moment after. Gilbert chuckled- seeming almost sheepish.<br/>
<br/>
“Sorry for the greeting, West, but you were so agitated today that you needed to calm down. I knew you wanted to suck your thumb, but that’s not the healthiest thing out there. And I had one of these stashed away in case you needed it.”<br/>
<br/>
After his brother’s explanation, Ludwig seemed to soften some, but was still blushing furiously.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, don’t give me that.” Gilbert scoffed. “We both know you love it, and if you’re gonna do it anywhere and in front of anybody, it might as well be me.”<br/>
<br/>
At that, the fight seemed to drain out of his little brother and the blush faded. “S’rry.”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s okay. Go do some paperwork or something, you big lug. I’ll get dinner going.”</p><p>With a small nod, Ludwig went to his desk as his brother began preparing dinner.<br/>
<br/>
When dinner was prepared, Gilbert went to fetch Ludwig from his desk, and was greeted by a sight that was becoming familiar- his little brother asleep. A small, fond smile crossed Gilbert’s face at the thought that that was how all of this had started. Then, crossing to his brother, he gently shook his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“Come on, West. Dinner time.” He said, voice soft but firm.<br/>
<br/>
A whine came from his brother as he tried to weakly shove his brother’s hand away.<br/>
<br/>
“Go ‘way, b’uder.” Ludwig murmured. He was comfy and didn’t want to move.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert smirked at the appearance of his little brother. He had somewhat anticipated this.<br/>
<br/>
“Well, I guess I’ll have to eat the Kartoffelsuppe all by myself. More for me.”<br/>
<br/>
Luddie stirred. “Kartoff’lsup’e?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yep. Kartoffelsuppe. I made it just for you, but I guess I’ll have to eat it all myself.” Gilbert shrugged, beginning to slowly walk away.<br/>
<br/>
“Noooo.” Came the whine, as his little brother started getting up.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh yes, Luddie. You wanted to nap, not eat.”<br/>
<br/>
“Wan’ eat.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh? You’re gonna eat with me now?”<br/>
<br/>
“Mhmmmmm.”<br/>
<br/>
“Well, I <em>guess </em>I could share if a certain little brother of mine were to come to the table and eat with me.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig gave a huff, pouting, and reached his arms up to his brother. He’d come, but he wasn’t walking there. Both of his legs were asleep.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert let out a soft chuckle. “You grumpy with me now, huh kiddo? Well, you won’t be after we eat.” He promised, plucking his little brother up from his chair and carrying him to the table where the hot bowl of potato soup lay in wait for him. Lips momentarily twitching into a half smile, Ludwig began to dig in with relish.</p><p>Dinner was an unusually silent affair, mainly due to the fact that Luddie was still sleepy. When the plates were empty, Gilbert washed them, as he would have any other day (Ludwig insisted on a “chore chart” that drove him up the wall, but since his responsibilities were mainly cooking, doing the dishes, making beds, and vacuuming once per week, he tried not to be <em>too </em>miffed about it.). As he was washing the dishes, a small voice that, had it been any lower, he might not have otherwise heard were he not keeping an ear out reached him.<br/>
<br/>
“Bruder?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert’s head whipped toward the table, and Ludwig sat there with teary baby blues, arms outstretched to him and looking as though he were about to cry. Turning off the water immediately and letting the dishes fall into the sink with a clatter, he rushed over to his little brother and picked him up.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, what’s this? What’s bugging you, kiddo?”<br/>
<br/>
Luddie just buried his face into Gilbert’s neck and let out a sob. Gilbert, completely following his instincts at this point, began rubbing soothing circles on his little brother’s back and gently walking around with him.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s alright, Luddie. I’m here.”<br/>
<br/>
“‘M s-s-sorry.” Came the stuttered apology.<br/>
<br/>
“For what, little man?”<br/>
<br/>
“‘M sorry I got m-mad when you waked me up for dinner.”<br/>
<br/>
“Aw, don’t worry about that, kid. You were just grumpy after a nap. I get that way too sometimes.”<br/>
<br/>
“‘M not…” Luddie paused. Gilbert thought he was going to say more, and tried prompting him.<br/>
<br/>
“You’re not what, Brüderchen?” He coaxed.<br/>
<br/>
“‘M not good at bein’ big… I don’ wanna do it no more… Too much press’re… Makes me sad.” The words were so small, but the confession they prompted was heart-wrenching. Gilbert gave him a squeeze of understanding.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s a lot, huh? I know when I was in your shoes it felt like a lot to handle. But you probably feel it more, don’t you? Because if you don’t run all of the meetings then nobody will get anything done.”<br/>
<br/>
“U-Uh h-huh.” He sobbed.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you want some help? I can help do the meetings with you so it’s not too much on you all at once.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig looked up at him, and for a moment, his adult self reflected in his eyes before Luddie took back control. “’s… ’s not weak to ask help?”<br/>
<br/>
“No. Not even a little. You’re already a strong nation, kiddo. It’s okay if you want to take a break from that sometimes. Nobody can carry the whole world on their shoulders and not put it down sometimes.” Gilbert said gently.<br/>
<br/>
After a second, he felt Luddie nod. “‘Kay B’uder.”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay. Now, what do you say big brother reads you a story and we have fun together the rest of the night, hmmm?”<br/>
<br/>
Luddie perked up at that, and nodded.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert, still not entirely sure he’d done everything right, gave his little brother a kiss on the nose, hopefully to help him feel better. When it earned a giggle from the boy in his arms, he let himself relax. He hadn’t fucked up that conversation. Thank God.<br/>
<br/>
He grabbed Luddie’s pacifier from the table and popped it back into his brother’s mouth before they journeyed to Ludwig’s room, and Gilbert helped him change into some comfortable pajamas. The next few hours were spent reading stories and Gilbert trying to cajole his little brother into a better mood. Nothing quite seemed to lift his spirits. That is, until Gilbert got an idea.<br/>
<br/>
“Luddie, lemme show you something.” He said, and carried his brother into his room. “Now this is a Bruder secret, okay?”<br/>
<br/>
Eyes wide, but nodding, Luddie looked to where Gilbert had his hand atop the covers. Pulling them back, he revealed Ludwig’s blue blanket that he’d bought for their weekend together.<br/>
<br/>
“You know how your awesome big brother makes the beds every day?”<br/>
<br/>
At Luddie’s nod, he continued.<br/>
<br/>
“Well, every day, big bruder takes a nap before he makes his bed and yours, and sleeps with your blanket. You wanna know why?”<br/>
<br/>
Luddie nodded curiously.<br/>
<br/>
“Because when big bruder does that, it smells like him for when you want your blanket. I told you you’d always have a piece of me with you, and I wanted it to smell like me. So I nap with it, make my bed, and then put it in yours and make your bed, so that way you don’t ever have to miss me. So whenever you’re feeling sad, I want you to wrap blanket around yourself like this,” He said, wrapping his brother in it so tightly it could have counted as a swaddle, “and close your eyes and pretend it’s me giving you a hug. Nobody else has to know, but that’s how we’re going to fight your sadness, okay? But it’s a secret strategy. You promise you won’t tell?”<br/>
<br/>
Nodding solemnly, Luddie looked at him. “I p’omise.”<br/>
<br/>
“Good boy.” Gilbert said and gave him a hug. Swaddled in his blanket, with his brother hugging him, Luddie finally seemed to relax. “Now, how about another story, hmmm?”<br/>
<br/>
Luddie nodded, suckling gently on his pacifier, and let Gilbert carry him back. Once he was settled in his brother’s lap, Gilbert resumed story time. Two stories later, his brother had fallen asleep on his shoulder, wrapped up in his blanket, nursing his pacifier, and completely content. Gilbert smiled, and tucked the blanket around his little brother a bit better, before giving him a gentle kiss, content to look at his face. Ludwig never looked content when he slept. Luddie, however, did. He marveled at the fact that his presence could accomplish that much.<br/>
<br/>
Maybe he wasn’t doing too bad at this big brother thing after all.</p><p>Over the next several weeks, the two of them developed a routine and fell into their roles with ease. Gilbert helped Ludwig run meetings to help take the weight from his shoulders, and when they got home Gilbert would help care for him. It had quickly become apparent that Ludwig needed to be little far more often than just on the weekends. And so, they’d explored his headspace together. Thus far, he’d gotten as old as four and as small as a year old. Thank God that Gilbert had prepared for any eventuality, because had he not been, his brother’s hard and fast regression down to a year old on a particularly bad day would have been positively dreadful for the both of them.<br/>
<br/>
Still, they adjusted surprisingly well to their new normal. Germany behaved as he normally would during the work day, as did Gilbert (aside from his eagle eyes looking for any signs of trouble in his baby brother). Perhaps the only change was that his little brother had begun bringing his blanket with him to work. Though considering it was winter, it wouldn’t have been looked at as particularly odd if anyone had found it.<br/>
<br/>
Today’s meeting had been particularly frustrating. Everybody else’s minds seemed to be somewhere else. Ludwig had had to consistently remind himself that he could <em>not </em>throw a tantrum here in public, because at this point that was exactly what he wanted to do.<br/>
<br/>
In perhaps the only age-appropriate way to get everyone’s attention, he slammed his hands onto the table, causing the simultaneous turning of heads in his direction. “Everyone shut up! We need to focus, or we’ll never get anything done.”<br/>
<br/>
Ivan turned to him. "What will you do, Germany? Will you send us to your favored concentration camps' to 'better ourselves'? Oh wait, no, it'll be to watch us die horrifically so you won't have to deal our disobedience. Just like the people in your country who refused to listen and conform to your German ways.”</p><p>The entire room went silent instantly. The air filled with palpable tension as every head turned simultaneously to Ludwig, who had his head bowed.<br/>
<br/>
In the moments after, the room had started to revive itself.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano spoke up immediately. "Hey, Germany is a good'a country! That's not'a nice of you, Russia! Germany didn't'a do anything, it'a was'a that guy with the tiny, creepy mustache and his'a gang of fellow stronzos who'a hurt'a those poor people."<br/>
<br/>
Honda spoke up next. "Italy's right, Germany wasn't the one who sent those innocent people to their death, it was that evil man. Ugh, I can't even say his name. Just thinking of it is giving me shivers down my spine."<br/>
<br/>
Alfred looked at him, face clearly darkened. "Russia, dude, so not cool. Germany may have had some really bad, shitty people living in his country, but that doesn't mean it was entirely his fault for what happened. Like anyone, those people had free will, and they used it to follow a guy who's whole MO was 'kill anyone who's different', so it's them and their leader who are responsible for all those deaths. Not Germany."<br/>
<br/>
Antonio nodded in agreement, looking to Ivan. “Making tasteless jokes like that really says a lot about someone. You really should apologize to Germany for all the untrue things you said to him.”<br/>
<br/>
Ivan simply scoffed, annoyed at them all.<br/>
<br/>
In the interim, a sniffle filled the air, and all at once, Gilbert was up and moving. Acting on instinct, he squatted next to his brother’s chair.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, West, look at me a second.” He said, cajoling.<br/>
<br/>
To his partial relief, Ludwig obeyed, but what he saw was not exactly what he hoped for. Those teary baby blues belonged to his baby brother, not his adult counterpart. Letting out a whimper, Luddie reached out to him, clearly wanting to be held.<br/>
<br/>
He hadn’t wanted this to come out, but there was no choice now. It was either let his brother down or comfort him, and even though he didn’t like this being public information, he wasn’t about to deny his little brother the comfort he clearly needed, and picked him up, pulling him into his arms as his little brother wrapped his arms around his neck in a vice grip and started to sob in his neck.<br/>
<br/>
It wasn’t until that moment that they paid attention to the brothers at the other end of the room,when they heard a clear sob coming from Germany, and were all shocked to see him in Prussia’s arms, sobbing into his neck, with Prussia clearly trying to comfort him, rubbing his back gently and whispering soothing words to him.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert took a seat in his brother’s chair, and sat him in his lap, holding him protectively.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s alright, kiddo.” He said softly. Then, getting an idea, he pulled the blue blanket out from his brother’s briefcase, and wrapped it around him. The effect was almost immediate. The tension released from him, and he began to calm. Gilbert had never been so grateful for buying that blanket as he was in that moment. Over time, his brother had conditioned himself to calm in the presence of his beloved blanket, and the fact that that still applied in this situation was a godsend.<br/>
<br/>
Luddie looked up at him, thumb planted in his mouth. “Bu’der?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, Brüderchen?”<br/>
<br/>
“‘sit my fault?”<br/>
<br/>
“No.” The word was fierce in its insistence, and Luddie jumped a bit in his arms. Gilbert gentled his voice. “No, kiddo. It’s not your fault. Other people’s choices aren’t your fault. It doesn’t make you a bad nation. Everybody has some people in their nation who make bad choices. But what do I tell you when you make a bad choice?”<br/>
<br/>
“Is not bad me. Just bad choices. But you still ‘ove me.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s right.” He praised. “And it’s the same here. Some people made bad choices in your country, but it doesn’t make you a bad country, does it?”<br/>
<br/>
“…No?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert ruffled his hair. “Right. Good job.” He gave that a moment to sink in, when his brother spoke up.<br/>
<br/>
“Bu’der?”<br/>
<br/>
“Hmmm?”<br/>
<br/>
“Sing?"<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert swallowed, not really wanting to do this here, but he didn’t have much of a choice. “Sure, kid. What do you want to hear?”<br/>
<br/>
“Sp’cial song?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert felt his throat thicken at the mention, remembering when his mother sang him that song. It was always the “Special song” when he’d asked for it as a child too.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay.” He nodded, clearing his throat. Then, he began to sing.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“Where the moonlight hits the sea<br/>
Are the answers to who you’ll be<br/>
Make the journey, leave the ground<br/>
And sail away into the sound </p><p>When the seas look rough ahead<br/>
Just remember this wisdom said<br/>
Sometimes the path may leave a scar<br/>
When you’re finding who you are</p><p>Mistakes will always be made<br/>
But without them we’d never grow<br/>
And it’s okay to be afraid<br/>
As long as you can let it go </p><p>Where the moonlight hits the sea<br/>
Are the answers to who you’ll be<br/>
Let the music calm you down<br/>
And sail away into the sound.”</p><p>By the end of the song, Luddie had stopped crying, which was a relief, but the lack of distraction made Gilbert far more aware of the fact that he was being stared at by the whole world, and found himself lightly blushing. However, even more prevalent now that Luddie was calm was the raging inferno of anger inside of him at Ivan’s insensitivity. But he couldn’t focus on that just yet. First, he had to get Luddie out of the room so he didn’t have to see this.<br/>
<br/>
Luckily, he had a plan for that.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey kiddo, you want to play a game?”<br/>
<br/>
At the mention, Luddie perked up notably.<br/>
<br/>
“Why don’t you go outside the door and count to 100 for me, and we’ll play hide and seek, okay?”<br/>
<br/>
Clearly pleased at the mention of one of his favorite games, Luddie nodded, and hopped off Gilbert’s lap to go outside the door, blanket dragging beside him.<br/>
<br/>
“Close the door, count to 100, and I’ll be ready.” He promised.<br/>
<br/>
Luddie gave him a nod, shut the door, and covered his eyes, beginning to count aloud, oblivious to what Gilbert was planning to do once he was out of the room.<br/>
<br/>
As Gilbert worked to rain justice down on Ivan, Luddie was busy counting. It was a very difficult endeavor at the moment. He felt so small, and sometimes thinking too hard when he was this little gave him a headache. Still, he wasn’t about to miss out on playing one of his favorite games with Big Bruder!<br/>
<br/>
The first thirty or so numbers weren’t so bad, and didn’t require a lot of brain power, but the numbers above fifty were progressively getting more and more difficult, to the point where he was beginning to get a headache. By the time he reached eighty, he knew he couldn’t go any higher, and started to cry.<br/>
<br/>
Bruder had said to wait until 100 but he didn’t think he could. He needed cuddles now! Sniffling, he knocked on the door, only now becoming aware of noise behind the door.<br/>
<br/>
“Bruder?” Came the sad little whimper.<br/>
<br/>
There was a rustling behind the door, before Big Bruder appeared to him in all of his glory, looking a little messy.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, Luddie. What’s the matter?” He asked gently, picking him up.<br/>
<br/>
As soon as he was in Gilbert’s embrace, he started to cry. “T-Too hard!” He sobbed.<br/>
<br/>
“Is it too hard to count right now?” He asked gently.<br/>
<br/>
“U-Uh h-huh.” He nodded, sticking his thumb in his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
“That’s okay, Kiddo. How about we go home and take a nap instead?” Gilbert asked, running his finger’s through his brother’s hair.<br/>
<br/>
Brightening a little, Luddie nodded. “P’ease, B’uder.”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay. Let’s go home.” He said, giving his little brother an affectionate peck on the forehead.<br/>
<br/>
He gathered up meeting papers and notes, called the meeting over early, got Ludwig’s suitcase packed, before he walked out, leaving the rest of the nations bewildered in his wake.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert had never raced home as fast as he did that day. Whenever Luddie tried to push himselfto do things beyond his headspace it almost always backfired and sent him deeper in. He wasn’t more than three in headspace right now, and if he regressed further, he’d definitely need a diaper.<br/>
<br/>
Mercifully, they got home accident free, but Gilbert wasted no time getting his little brother changed. Slowly, throughout the trip home, Luddie’s motor skills had gradually worsened, to the point where he couldn’t hold onto Gilbert’s neck anymore because it was above where he had his head buried in his brother’s chest. Though they hadn’t talked on the way home, with Luddie being so tired, he’d wagered that perhaps his baby brother would get to the point of being nonverbal now that he had the reassurance he needed and could regress without anything weighing on his guilty conscience.<br/>
<br/>
Once he’d gotten his baby brother changed, he took Luddie’s thumb from his mouth (earning a long, drawn out whine) before he replaced it with a clean pacifier, which his baby brother seemed to accept happily.<br/>
<br/>
“Alright, Kiddo. Nap time.” He said gently, carrying them both to his own room, and slipping his shoes off before laying down. He let Luddie keep his head on his chest, and together, they took a long nap.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert had found himself woken up to crying, but this time wasn’t as worried. He recognized this cry. When Ludwig really was little, he’d used to cry sometimes when he got too hungry, and the pitch of the sound had stuck with him into this headspace.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, alright. One bottle coming up.” Gilbert said, still groggy. “You’re lucky you’re cute or else I’d be mad at you for ruining my awesome beauty nap.” He said, scooping his little brother into his arms and giving him a kiss before moving him onto his hip so he could fix his little brother a bottle. He’d likely have to make some soup for him to eat later, or maybe some kind of puree, but this would hopefully fill him enough to tide him over until then.<br/>
<br/>
He pulled a bottle that was hidden in the back of the cupboard for such occasions, and filled it with milk, before he put a pot of water on the stovetop. He screwed on the teat, waited for the water to heat, before putting the bottle in the water, and turning it to heat the milk inside of it. Luddie started whimpering from his perch on his hip.<br/>
<br/>
“Shhhh, Just a little longer, Luddie.” He promised, gently bouncing him on his hip. After two minutes, he took the bottle out, and turned off the burner, before he went to the old rocker he’d brought into the living room from the attic and settled his brother in his lap for a feeding.<br/>
<br/>
It was terribly rare that his brother got down to this age, so small things like feedings and changings were treasured times for Gilbert. He’d developed special routines for times like these. He’d get the bottle in Luddie’s mouth, wrap him in his blanket, then start rocking gently in the rocking chair and sing to him. Screw everybody who said he couldn’t sing! Luddie looked at him like he had the voice of a heavenly choir, and that was more than enough proof for him. It was perhaps his favorite thing about his little brother when he was this small- Luddie looked at him like he hung the moon all the time and it made him feel so good about himself.<br/>
<br/>
This time, though, it was a bit different. The moment was tinged with a sense of gravity that hadn’t existed before. It took him a moment, maybe two, to realize why. The other few instances when Luddie had gotten into a headspace this low was just innocently testing his limits. This was the first time that he’d gotten so very small because something had hurt him and was using this to try and deal with the impact of it all. He hadn’t realized until that moment, the enormity of the responsibility that had been placed on his shoulders. He was now the one appointed to banish tears on a bad day, to ensure his brother’s well being, to be his defender, and the one person who could fix whatever it was that was bothering him. The weight of it all hadn’t hit him until that moment, and it was nearly enough to crush him. But one look into Luddie’s baby blues was enough to empower him to bear with it a little while longer. As hard as it might have been, the reward was far greater. That was what mattered now.<br/>
<br/>
He sang softly to his brother, rocking the chair back and forth, occasionally tucking the blanket his brother loved around him just a bit more. Luddie’s eyes stayed fixed on him, and he could have gotten lost in the pools of blue. Luddie had always had ocean eyes, in Gilbert’s opinion. Had his brother allowed anyone to really look into them, it really was easy to get lost in them. Ludwig tended to lock his emotions behind a steel vault, and because of that, nobody tended to look into his eyes for long, partly because he didn’t allow it. But Gilbert had been privileged to witness what was behind the vault, and that was an entire ocean of emotion, kept hidden underneath a stern exterior. As an adult, Ludwig could hide them without issue, but Luddie couldn’t. The vault was open, and the ocean of emotions was free to flow out. To Gilbert, it was beautiful.<br/>
<br/>
Looking into his baby brother’s eyes now, there was trust, curiosity, and innocence. It was almost heartbreaking to see how much emotion his brother had, and to know that he felt he had to keep it locked away. And yet, in a way, it was even more to treasure. Because few got to see what was behind those ocean eyes. The fact that Gilbert got to see it when few others did was something he didn’t take lightly. Despite popular opinion saying otherwise, he did take some things seriously, and this was perhaps the thing he took the most seriously. The wellbeing of his brother was far too important to be taken lightly. Though he had a penchant for being cocky, joking things off, and being pretty carefree, he knew what things really mattered.<br/>
<br/>
When the bottle was drained, Gilbert gave his little brother a peck on the forehead, and held him for a while, just enjoying the quiet. There would be things to do when Luddie came out of this regression. Paperwork, certainly, but likely a lot of explaining to the other nations about what happened today. If there was one thing Gilbert knew, it was how to take things in stride. All of that could wait a while. But his little brother couldn’t.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert stayed still for a while, just rubbing his little brother’s back. Luddie fidgeted with his blanket as much as he could in that state, and it made Gilbert chuckle.<br/>
<br/>
“Here now, Brüderchen, let’s get you something better to play with than that, hmmm?”<br/>
<br/>
He’d been smart enough to set a few things by the rocking chair that were discreet, but still things that Luddie could play with. In particular, there was a small pillow that looked like it could have fallen over the side from the rocker but was actually one of Luddie’s favorite things to play with when he was this small. Gently, Gilbert tugged the blanket from his hands and replaced it with the small pillow.<br/>
<br/>
Luddie turned it over as best as he was able, fascinated with the texture. Then, unceremoniously, he started to try and chew on it, making Gilbert chuckle softly.<br/>
<br/>
“You can never go without something in your mouth when you’re little, huh?” He said, smiling. Luddie, oblivious, just continued chewing. Gilbert just chuckled. “Yep. I’ll remember that for later. I promise.”<br/>
<br/>
He smiled, and finally decided to get up from the rocker in order to get his brother a pacifier instead. Finding it in his rumpled bed, he cleaned it off before he popped it into his baby brother’s mouth. Luddie seemed pleased with the addition.<br/>
<br/>
“That’s a good boy. Now, how about I make us dinner, hmmm?”</p><p>Luddie didn’t respond, but Gilbert took it as a yes, anyways.<br/>
<br/>
He worked to make Kartoffelbrei (Or, rather, pureed potatoes) for Luddie for dinner, as well as some bratwurst, sauerkraut, and some potato pancakes for himself. He made the puree garlic parmesan, just because he knew Luddie liked that the best. He figured he could give him applesauce afterward for a fruit, and perhaps even a bit of ice cream for dessert as a treat.<br/>
<br/>
Though Gilbert didn’t consider himself at all skilled in the art of wood carving, he had managed to fashion a wooden tray to outfit around one of the chairs to make a pseudo-high chair for his baby brother when he got this little. He got the attachment out and fashioned it to the chair as everything cooked, and then settled his brother in the chair with a few toys while he got a few hot items from the stove. Just as he finished plating everything, there was a knock on the door.<br/>
<br/>
“Sounds like we have some visitors, Kleiner! Let me go see who it is.” Gilbert said, gently ruffling Luddie’s hair as he passed him by, and getting a sweet giggle in return.<br/>
<br/>
Opening the door, he saw Honda and Feliciano, looking concerned.<br/>
<br/>
“Guten Tag, Honda, Feliciano.” Gilbert smiled.<br/>
<br/>
“Ciao, Gilbert.” Feliciano said with a smile, but it was riddled with tension. “We came to see if Ludwig was okay.”<br/>
<br/>
Honda nodded, looking solemn. “He looked so upset… The least we could do is check and see how he was.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert felt himself warmed by their concern, but wasn’t sure if it was good for Luddie to have visitors right now.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m glad Ludwig has such good friends, but I don’t think he’s ready for visitors just yet.” He said, as tactfully as he could manage.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano cut in immediately. “Please, Gilbert. That’a comment would have’a been too much for anybody to take alone. We don’t care about what else happened, We just’a want to see our friend and make sure he’s okay.”<br/>
<br/>
Honda nodded in agreement. “Whatever happened isn’t important. It’s about his wellbeing.”<br/>
<br/>
The pleading expressions on their faces were enough to make Gilbert ultimately crumble.<br/>
<br/>
“Alright. Come in.”<br/>
<br/>
The relief on Honda and Feliciano’s faces were almost enough to convince Gilbert he was doing the right thing. Almost.<br/>
<br/>
“Let’s talk before you see him.” Gilbert said.<br/>
<br/>
Honda looked at him. “About?”<br/>
<br/>
“What happened.” The way he said it made them certain that they weren’t referring to Ivan’s comment.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano and Honda straightened. “We’re’a listening.” Feliciano said.<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t need to tell you both that Ludwig puts too much pressure on himself.” Gilbert began, receiving two matching nods in reply. “You two know as well as I do that he’s been like that ever since he was formed. And you both know that he’s stubborn, even more so than me. So I don’t think you’ll be surprised to know that he doesn’t always take care of himself like he should when it comes to taking breaks every now and then.”<br/>
<br/>
Honda and Feliciano nodded- this wasn’t surprising, considering his nature.<br/>
<br/>
“But the problem is that when he is stressed he often doesn’t handle things well. He didn’t know how to achieve a balance with that. To help him, we’ve found him being a child or even a baby for a few hours or even a few days can relieve a lot of the pressure he’s under. To have someone make all the decisions for him is something that’s been good for him. But sometimes, if certain situations occur, the regressions can happen very suddenly, which is why he behaved as he did at the meeting. When he tries to do things beyond the mental state that he’s in, sometimes he can regress further, which is what happened after the two of us left the meeting. It’s why we left so suddenly. Sometimes if he gets young enough he doesn’t remember what’s happened, and he’s very young at the moment. Not even able to talk. But he should be fine in a few days at most.” Gilbert explained.<br/>
<br/>
Honda and Feliciano seemed to be processing this new information, taking it in a bit at a time.</p><p>Then, after a moment, Feliciano spoke. “Can’a we see the little bambino now?”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert hesitated a brief moment, before nodding. “Ja. He’s in the kitchen.”<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano got up right away, but Honda appeared deep in thought. Gilbert and Feliciano decided he might need a bit more time to process the information, and went into the kitchen together, as Honda replayed the words Gilbert had said over and over again.<br/>
<br/>
<em>…Ludwig puts too much pressure on himself… he doesn’t always take care of himself like he should when it comes to taking breaks… To have someone make all the decisions for him is something that’s been good for him… sometimes, if certain situations occur, the regressions can happen very suddenly, which is why he behaved as he did at the meeting. When he tries to do things beyond the mental state that he’s in, sometimes he can regress further, which is what happened after the two of us left the meeting… he should be fine in a few days at most.<br/>
<br/>
</em>The words had a distinct ring of truth to them. Ludwig <em>did</em> tend to pressure himself far too much. It was a mutual understanding the two of them shared- how pressure affected them. Perhaps that was why he was so unable to see his friend this way, because of how societal pressure conditioned them all to be a certain way. However, he considered the fact that Ludwig didn’t always take good care of himself into account, and how it would feel to not have to worry about anything for a while. He imagined the relief would be incredible- perhaps even addictive. Although his friend’s method of comfort wasn’t one that he would have chosen himself, the results spoke for themselves. He’d noticed that Ludwig had seemed to be able to do more in their meetings lately, and his efficiency had amazed him. If Gilbert said he’d be fine in a few days, then he believed that. Until then, it shouldn’t matter what state his friend was in, so long as he was happy and healthy.<br/>
<br/>
Standing up, Honda walked into the kitchen.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano stood by one chair (a makeshift high chair?) Where Ludwig was seated, seeming to study him intently. Appropriately curious, Honda moved to stand next to him, wondering what was captivating him so.<br/>
<br/>
When he caught sight of his friend’s eyes, he suddenly understood why.<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig’s usually hardened eyes were softened with the innocence of a child, and were surprisingly mesmerizing to look at. When Ludwig turned to him, it was hard to transform his expression into a small smile because he’d been so surprised by the open curiosity in his expression. Still, despite the fact that this was… odd, to say the least, children deserved smiles.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano, meanwhile, was smiling happily when Ludwig turned to him. “And how are you, dolce bambino angelo?” He asked, voice a high pitched croon.<br/>
<br/>
To his delight, Ludwig seemed to like that, and giggled a bit.<br/>
<br/>
Honda could practically see Feliciano’s heart melt through his eyes. “quanto prezioso!” He said. “Magnifico!”<br/>
<br/>
The sight was enough to make Honda smile alongside him.<br/>
<br/>
The moment was broken when Gilbert loudly announced that it was dinner time, and offered them both a portion. Feliciano gladly accepted, and Honda, though more reserved, nodded.<em><br/>
</em><br/>
Through dinner, Gilbert fed his little brother spoonfuls of potatoes and applesauce while eating his own meal. While Feliciano was enchanted with Ludwig, who seemed to have completely lost the ability to control much of his motor functions (how intriguing was that?), Honda had been busy observing the change in Gilbert.<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert Bielschmidt was, generally speaking, lazy, obnoxious, overtly flirtatious, with an overly inflated sense of ego, and a dependable source of jokes. Strictly speaking out of observation, both those of himself and of others, those were his consistent traits. But since seeing Gilbert in the meeting earlier, and watching him now, Honda held a different opinion. The face he presented to the world was certainly a part of him, but so was this. He’d watched Gilbert be attentive to his brother’s needs, protective of him, kind and reassuring when necessary, and, as evidenced by the gentle smile that he now wore, loving toward his little brother. In a way, Honda felt a bit ashamed of himself for not looking a little deeper. Both at him and Ludwig lately.<br/>
<br/>
He supposed that any of them only ever saw what they wanted. Most don’t bother to look beneath the surface. But sometimes, good surprises could be hidden underneath. Such was the case here.<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano had insisted on helping feed the “piccolo bambino”, and Gilbert had agreed- a bit hesitant, but grateful to be able to do the dishes. Seeing Feliciano being so affectionate with his baby brother was heartwarming, although Gilbert couldn’t help feel a little stab of jealousy at the sight. This was no longer something just the two of them shared.<br/>
<br/>
It was ridiculous, stupid even, to feel jealous of that. He should have been thrilled that his brother had friends who were so supportive. He should have been glad to get a few minutes to himself- even if it was just doing the dishes. And yet, he couldn’t help but feel that somehow, his spotlight had been stolen. In some inarticulate way, he felt as though he was no longer the center of his little brother’s universe, because he was now not the only thing to look at in it. And the feeling was enough to make him want to cry. He didn’t of course, far too proud to let anyone see his tears, but it didn’t change the fact that they were still inside of him, just waiting to come free.</p><p>When the dishes were done, Feliciano had finished feeding Luddie, and Gilbert had taken great pleasure in plucking his baby brother from the high chair for a cuddle. The way Luddie immediately melted into his arms gave him a kind of satisfaction that winning a war couldn’t even compare to. For just a moment, he allowed himself to feel smug about it (He won’t cuddle like that with anyone else like that) before he focused himself again.<br/>
<br/>
“I should probably take this kiddo to get changed.” Gilbert said. Though it was true, he had to admit, he just wanted a little more time with Luddie by themselves.<br/>
<br/>
“Si, Si! Please do. I’ve’a got to get’a home anyways, Roma is planning a potluck and I promised to help him pick’a the menu.”<br/>
<br/>
Honda stepped forward. “I should be going, too. I’ve got chores to do at home. Thank you for having us.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert smiled fondly at the pair of them. Jealous or not, it was good to know his baby brother had such good friends. “Anytime. Thank you both for coming to check on Ludwig. I know it will mean a lot to him. It means a lot to me to know he’s got good friends.”<br/>
<br/>
Feliciano and Honda both gave him a smile. Feliciano kissed Ludwig’s cheeks (as Gilbert delighted in hearing him squeal at the affection), before waving goodbye alongside Honda, and they made their exit.<br/>
<br/>
When the door was shut, Gilbert turned to his little brother. “Well that was sure something.” He said, and went to get his baby brother changed. “I’m glad you have good friends, kiddo. Now, let’s freshen you up a bit.” He said, laying his brother on a changing mat to get him cleaned up. Glancing at the clock, however, he saw it was seven, meaning that Luddie would need to go to bed soon. He decided to simply strip his little brother for a bath instead, carrying him to the bathroom.<br/>
<br/>
Bath time when Luddie was this young was always a little odd. In part because his brother was such a modest person that Gilbert felt a sense of embarrassment for him since he could not feel it. The other part was never quite knowing what Luddie would do during that time. Sometimes if he put bath toys in there, Luddie would play calmly with them. Other times, he would splash and make a huge mess. It was a shot in the dark. But he found himself not minding as much, just because it was time that the two of them had alone together.<br/>
<br/>
As Gilbert had (half) expected, Luddie had splashed about and thoroughly soaked him. However, he couldn’t bring himself to be upset by it. Instead, he found himself laughing. He found himself secure in the knowledge that someday, these would be the moments he wanted to remember from his life. When it was time to get Luddie out of the tub, he let the water drain, and wrapped a large towel around his little brother, before he went to get him dressed into some comfortable flannel pajamas and (of course) a fresh diaper.<br/>
<br/>
With Luddie all ready for bed, Gilbert decided to let his little brother sleep with him that night, for both of their sakes. He got into his pajamas, and laid Luddie down, before he got into bed beside him, and pulled his baby brother close to him in a cuddle. He pressed a gentle kiss to his brother’s forehead, earning a pleased noise in response.<br/>
<br/>
“I love you, kid. Sleep tight.”<br/>
<br/>
That seemed to be all Luddie needed. Within seconds, he’d fallen asleep.<br/>
<br/>
It wasn’t until the day after that Ludwig finally came around. Gilbert had woken up to find Luddie’s side of the bed empty, and figured out that his brother was back.<br/>
<br/>
Dragging himself out of bed, he found his brother out in the backyard, playing fetch with his dogs.<br/>
<br/>
“Welcome back, West.” Gilbert said, clapping his brother on the back from the small bench he sat on.<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig attempted to smile, but it wasn’t the real thing, and they both knew it.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you want to talk?”<br/>
<br/>
“What is there to be said? I humiliated myself in front of everyone.” The words were tinged with bitterness.<br/>
<br/>
“No, you were <em>triggered</em> in front of everyone by one of the most shitty comments of all time and couldn’t control your reaction. There’s a difference.” Gilbert corrected.<br/>
<br/>
“Does the difference matter if the end result is the same?”<br/>
<br/>
“It does, because the story didn’t end like you thought it did.”<br/>
<br/>
“What?”<br/>
<br/>
“Feliciano and Honda came to check in on you. They were worried. I explained everything to them. And they still liked you anyways. So quit beating up on yourself, and let’s just be awesome together, ja?"<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig paused a moment, processing this new information.<br/>
<br/>
Then, after a moment, he gave a small nod.<br/>
<br/>
Quiet reigned over them for a moment. Then: “Were Feli and Honda really here?”<br/>
<br/>
“Ja.”<br/>
<br/>
“And they didn’t care?”<br/>
<br/>
“Nein. I wondered about that too, but they didn’t. Feliciano was cooing over you. Honda kept his distance, but he did smile.”<br/>
<br/>
For just a second, the ghost of a smile hinted at Ludwig’s face.<br/>
<br/>
“I suppose that’s not too bad, then.”<br/>
<br/>
“No, not bad at all.” Gilbert replied. But something in his voice gave Ludwig pause.<br/>
<br/>
“Bruder?”<br/>
<br/>
“Ja?”<br/>
<br/>
“Are you well?”<br/>
<br/>
“Ja. It’s nothing.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It’s clearly not. Come on. Tell me.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert shifted a bit in his seat. “I just got jealous, that’s all.”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Jealous?”<br/>
<br/>
“Ja… Stupid isn’t it?”<br/>
<br/>
“Why?”<br/>
<br/>
“Because now that Feliciano and Honda know, this isn’t just ours anymore. And I’m… not the center of your universe anymore.” The confession was quiet. That alone was disturbing to Ludwig. Gilbert didn’t know the meaning of quiet unless he was trying to sneak out to go do something.<br/>
<br/>
“Bruder…”<br/>
<br/>
All of a sudden, Arms far larger than Gilbert were embracing him. Surprised, but not at all upset by the development, he hugged his brother back.<br/>
<br/>
“You’ll always be mein awesome big brother.” Ludwig whispered to him, blushing furiously at saying the words aloud.<br/>
<br/>
“Danke, Luddie.” Gilbert replied.<br/>
<br/>
They held to each other a moment more, before breaking apart.<br/>
<br/>
“What do you say to helping me make an awesome breakfast and going to the pub later?”<br/>
<br/>
Ludwig smiled. “Sounds good.”<br/>
<br/>
Gilbert slung his arm around his brother’s shoulder. “Come on then, we’ve got cooking to do.”<br/>
<br/>
Smiling, Ludwig paused a moment, before walking in step with his brother inside.</p>
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